Snippets
by Casandravus
Summary: Everything comes together, piece by piece. A collection of story ideas, Secret Santa/Birthday Bash gifts, and shameless fluff.
1. SS 2019: Role Reversal

Finally done! This chapter is my 2019 Secret Santa gift for letterstoathens! Hope you like it!

* * *

"Hiromi again, Machida? Why don't you just — what on earth?" Baron holds his arm out to stop his best friend, eyes glued on a small white cat holding a dainty box in her mouth.

"Cat burglar?" Machida asks.

Baron rolls his eyes. "Ha ha."

"Wait a sec - the light's turning green, the cat's gonna - BARON!"

As if on instinct, Baron grabs Machida's lacrosse stick and swoops the white cat to safety, rolling over a curb and into some bushes on the next block. "Ow…"

The white cat stands up prettily on her hind legs. "Thank you for saving my life," she says with a bow. "My name is Yuki. How can I repay you?"

Baron runs a hand through his tawny hair. "Yuki, eh? It suits you. I don't take payment for helping others - a simple 'thank you' will suffice."

If Yuki were human, she'd be smiling. "Then thank you again. I've got to run - take care!" She falls back onto her front legs, grabs the box, and runs through the other side of the bushes.

"Baron! That idiot truck driver left just took off, are you all right?"

He shakes his head to clear it. "I'm fine, Machida. Let's go back to our flats."

* * *

Paws. On his chest. _Kneading_, Baron thinks sleepily. _I haven't had a cat since — wait a second_! He flails around for the light switch and gasps when he can finally see.

Bulging, mismatched eyes that have seen some things try to bore into his soul.

"Thanks for saving my daughter, babe," the fat, purple-grey tom on his chest says.

"I… Your daughter? You don't mean Yuki?"

"She's the crown princess of the Cat Kingdom!" A blue cat dressed in a kimono paws Baron's arm. "I am Natori, the King's advisor, and we have come to offer - "

"We want you to be the prince consort of the Cat Kingdom, babe. What d'ya say?"

"WHAT? Absolutely not!"

"Baron, are you all right?" Machida puts his spare key into Baron's door. "Who are you - HOLY SMOKES? Are you rehearsing for _Cats_!?"

"No. I was just telling these felines to LEAVE," Baron yells, pointing out the window. "I don't care how you lot leave, just get out of my flat!"

"Here's the Scroll of Offerings if you change your mind," Natori says, setting it on Baron's bureau.

* * *

The sharp click of heels echoes around the royal ballroom, signaling the presence of a woman. "Your Majesty, might I have a chance at winning the gentleman's smile?"

Something about her voice sounds... _familiar_... but Baron can't be bothered to figure out why. All he knows is that she's dressed in a navy gown with yellow trimmings, and wearing a very angled mask.

"Go ahead and try, babe. He's being obstinate."

"Would you like to dance? I hear it's an activity that brings comfort to some occasions in the Human Kingdom."

For the first time since being dragged here, Baron really looks around him and at the woman in front of him. "Sure, I guess?"

She leads him gingerly around the table and to the center of the ballroom. "A waltz, please?"

A fat cat - Baron can't tell who it is from his seat - starts a romantic instrumental piece on the accordion. As the woman - who strangely hasn't turned into a cat yet - leads him around the room, Baron's awestruck. _I haven't had a dancing partner since Louise_... Whiskers appear on his face. "Drat!"

"Watch yourself, Baron," she mutters. "I told you before this all started, didn't I?"

Because of the heels, he actually has to look up at her. "Miss Haru?"

"Stop right there!" King Phoebus yells, knife in paw. "Unhand my son-in-law, you usurper!"

She laughs - and not politely, either. Her chuckles are loud enough to make all the nobility halt and stare. "Me, the usurper? You're the one who kidnapped an unwilling human and brought him here - that goes against a good number of the royal decrees!" Haru throws the hat aside.

"I am Haru Yoshioka, and I'm here for the Baron von Gikkigen!"

Phoebus bristles and growls. "Get her! And bring back my son-in-law!"

"I'm not married yet, Your Highness!" Baron yells as Haru throws some smoke grenades to the floor.

Under the drinks table, Haru raises a brow. "Any ideas?"

A grey cat with blue eyes pats Haru's hands. "There's the servants' tunnel right over there, I think you can go that way and make it to the labyrinth safely," Lune leads them to a fake wall and into a narrow tunnel.

"Go ahead, Baron! I'll catch up, I need to get out of this infernal dress and lose the heels!"

Lune runs Baron down the tunnel, exiting in a hidden alcove near the labyrinth entrance. "This is your way out. You need to get out of here by climbing to the top of that tower before the next human sunrise... According to my calculations, you have about four hours."

"What? It's noon!"

"It's always noon here, Baron," Haru says, panting slightly. She snorts when Baron nearly jumps out of his skin. "Told you I'd catch up!"

Muta growls furiously. "Haru, what is it with you leaving me to be the bait!? I could've been killed!" Muta yells, shaking a paw as he pushes himself out of the tunnel.

She puts two fingers in her mouth and whistles a tune. "That's my signal for Toto. I'm hoping we're close enough to the exit for him to have heard it."

"I'm going to call for backup - good luck!" Lune rushes off through a different tunnel.

"I wonder if his voice is the one that directed me to the Refuge," Baron says softly.

"We can investigate that after you're home safe. We've really gotta run though!"

* * *

Baron, Haru, and Muta cheat, starting at the top of the labyrinth's walls. Cats in military coat colors chase the trio before Baron and Haru jump into the heart of the maze. Muta knocks out the military cats and joins them, extremely irate with the pair. "We're right in the middle of the maze! You're telling me you two haven't made any progress yet?!"

"Something's not right about this, I just can't figure out what it is!" Haru says. "I know we normally wing rescues, but this is a bit ridiculous!"

"This wall's fake!" Baron kicks it down, discovering a straight line to the tower's halfway point. The trio runs to the tower and starts up the stairs when the ground beneath them rumbles.

"Baron, hold onto me!" Haru wraps one arm around him and one around the pillar beside her. After the crash, she checks him for injuries. "You look fine to me," she says with a blush. "Muta, you all right?"

"Yeah yeah. Looks like we're back where we started, though..." he trails off, noticing that dead-eyed look on Haru's face.

After a long moment, she breaks the silence. "Do it."

"Chicky, are you _sure_? You don't know where - "

"Just do it! I'm _**not**_ losing another client to this lunatic!"

"Up ya go, Baron. It's been fun, but we'll see you later!" Muta throws the tawny feline up to the last staircase of the tower.

"Run, Baron! We'll see you around!"

"Thank you Haru! Muta!"

* * *

A muffled groan erupts from Baron's seat. "Watch where you're goin', kid... Oh! It's good to see ya."

"Hello, Muta. Sorry I sat on you again. A slice of angel food cake for your trouble?"

A bell chimes from the town square.

"I gotta go - wanna bring a slice of cake to the Bureau later? We need to catch you up on everything, and thank you properly for giving us a hilarious adventure."

"I'm... Afraid I don't know the way, Muta. Can you take me? Later this afternoon perhaps?"

"Sure thing, kid. See ya around."


	2. Sanctuary

A/N: This is a fun idea I came up with in Discord. I hope to have a full story with this written at some point.

* * *

"Haru, are you sure you won't come with us?" her mother asked. "It's a beautiful day, and Louise - "

"It's fine, really. I need to finish these hats before the morning's out," Haru gestured to the group of hat stands behind her. "Besides, I'll probably just break something again."

Naoko sighed. "All right dear. Well, girls, let's be on our way then…"

The other women who worked at the Yoshioka Hatting Shop filed out obediently, talking about possible May Day happenings. "I've heard that the Baron von Gikkingen might stop by!" Henrietta said.

Haru was suddenly stilled by fear. The Baron von Gikkingen, if rumors were to be believed, collected people with worthy hearts who owed magical debts. While that word held many meanings, the gossips always assumed he targeted women - sometimes, they said he faked debts just to snatch people away - but it was equalizing beauty to worth that always bothered her.

"Even if the rumors were true, I owe no debt. Other than Louise and Hiromi, I don't know anyone who does magic. I didn't even inherit it," she wiped a tear from her eye.

Ms. Beaumont's forget-me-not cloche glimmered. The way Mr. Endicott's white homburg seemed to shift itself on its stand? Haru attributed that to the wind.

Shaking her head to clear her mind of self-pitying thoughts, Haru spent the next couple of hours putting finishes on the hats she'd already made. She talked to them, telling them about her hopes for them with their eventual orders. When the clock struck noon, she put down her work. "I promised Louise I'd stop by the pastry shop and have a chat," she apologized. "I'll be back to work on you all soon."

The walk to Louise's shop was short, but the massive crowd near the entryway made Haru's pulse race. "I'll go round the back," she muttered to herself. She found a nearby alley, and ran down it.

She was not expecting two off-duty guards to accost her. "Look at this one," one of them said. "Timid as a mouse."

Haru flushes. "Excuse me, gentlemen, I have somewhere to be just now."

"In a random alleyway?" the other guard asked. "What business does a little mouse like you have in a place like this?"

"I'm heading to my sister's pastry shop, now if you will kindly excuse me - " she tried to shoulder past them.

"There you are, darling!" a distinctly High Common accent interrupted. "I've been searching everywhere for you!"

"Oh, thank goodness!" Haru wrung her hands together, playing along despite not knowing the man under the cat head - surely it's a costume?

"My apologies for being late; I got lost in the crowd. We'll be leaving now."

The guards made to grab her, but the mysterious cat-costumed man magicked them to another part of town. "Don't worry; they're safe and no worse for the wear. How are you?" he asks, green eyes sparkling.

"I'm - what are those!?" she shrieked, pointing at two black blobs forming from the ground.

He sighed. "The work of the Witch of the Waste. We can't outrun them - jump!"

For whatever reason, she trusted him enough to do so.

"Wow," she breathed as they walked in the air, his arm around her waist. "The city is beautiful from here!"

He smiled "It truly is. Is that dress shop there too out of your way?"

Haru shook her head. "It's on the way; thank you."

The gentleman walked her down to the upper balcony. "I'll draw them off; please don't go outside for a little while."

"Okay," she says, suddenly reluctant to leave him.

"Thank you," he tipped his hat before flying away.

She gaped after him until he was well out of sight.

* * *

"Haru, that was the Baron von Gikkingen!" Louise wagged her finger at her step-sister. "What were you thinking!?"

"He saved me from two guards that were going to assault me. I'm thinking I owe him my life, now," she shrugged. "Say, is he really a cat?"

"You mean you don't know!?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't ask. You know I don't take gossip seriously. I thought it might've been a costume!"

"Nobody really knows why - lots of rumors, though! - but he truly is half-cat! You better hope he doesn't come to call on you, or you really will owe him your life!"

"Really, Hiromi," Haru said to her as they finished their picnic lunch. "I'm too ordinary for any wizard, let alone one with his reputation."

The middle sister sighed. "The Baron does have a mighty reputation, Sis… And he did save you. Be careful."

"I'm the oldest of three. Even if Louise is our step-sister, she's still our sister… We all know what happens to the eldest of three. I'm doomed to spinsterhood."

"It's not funny, Haru."

"If I don't laugh, I'll sink into despair. I need to go back to the shop; you'll come back for your derby hat fitting in the afternoon?"

"Of course. I'll see you then."

Hiromi sighed. "I'm not so sure about that…"

* * *

An unusual patron came to call on the shop later that evening.

"Sorry, we're closed. You'll have to come back tomorrow!"

The woman ignored Haru's call. "This place reeks of latent magic. Tell me, girl, who makes the hats here?"

"We're closed, ma'am. Please leave," Haru tried again.

"This trilby is loaded with love magic. What did you do?"

"I don't know what you're talking about! I didn't inherit any magic! I'm the eldest of three!"

"Do not lie to me!" the woman raises her hands. "Once more - what did you do to the hats here!?"

"I'm not lying! Please just come back tomorrow, I'm sure my mother can - "

The woman runs through Haru. "For lying to the Witch of the Waste, you shall be cursed to dwell in the depths of your worst insecurities. You shall be cursed, unable to lie and unable to speak of this night."

"But I did - " Haru's mouth shut itself. "Mmph! Mm!"

"I'm sure I'll see you again," the Witch laughed as she faded away.

Just like that, Haru was alone.

"What do I do now?"


	3. The Date (Disaster Edition)

A/N: This is a continuation of _Cups of Tea_ by Catsafari, written with her permission.

* * *

"Haru, I know you weren't looking forward to that date. But I didn't expect this. What happened?" Hiromi asks, kneeling by the sofa and rubbing her flatmate's back.

Haru's voice is muddled by sobs and the throw cushion she's buried her face in.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

Haru lifts her head; her eyes are puffy and her face is mottled. "Machida is a jerk. He seemed nice enough, and we actually had a lot in common! Then, at the end of it, he says, 'It's been fun, but my girlfriend's probably sick of my family setting me up on dates; I gotta go.' As stupid as it is, it really hurt my feelings. Two hours of talking about common interests and actually getting along, for nothing!"

Hiromi's expression darkens. "Didn't they think to ask if he was seeing someone!?"

"My aunt was apparently in on his family trying to get him to dump his girlfriend over some small slight. Mum went ballistic on her! No more family reunions for me now!" She buries her head back in the throw cushion.

_[New Chat Open. Hiromi H., Ronaldo M. (Muta), Toto S., Baron G.]  
Hiromi: Guys. I'm gonna need backup here.  
Muta: ?  
Toto: Backup for what, exactly?  
Baron: Wasn't today Haru's date with that neighbor son of her aunt's?  
Hiromi: Yes, and it was a disaster - like... Here.  
Hiromi: [1 video attached]  
Hiromi: This is how she's been since she got back to our flat. HELP.  
Muta: Stupid question alert, has she been crying like that the entire time?  
Hiromi: YES. That's why I'm texting you lot! I haven't seen her this upset in ages!  
Toto: What happened?  
Hiromi: I'll let her tell you that herself when we're all together later. Our flat's a no-go, Haru needs out of here so she doesn't isolate herself. Toto, Muta, what about your flat?  
Toto: Absolutely —  
Muta: Not. Toilet's being redone, remember?  
Baron: Just use mine, it's the biggest between all of us and the only one not impacted by remodels. I'll have a new tea blend ready.  
Hiromi: You're a life-saver, Baron. Thanks so much.  
Toto: Muta and I will run to the market for some things she likes.  
Muta: And dinner on me. Let us know what you all want.  
Hiromi: [a long line of heart emojis]  
Hiromi: Thanks, guys. _

"Wanna go round to Baron's?" Hiromi tries after locking her phone. "I have it on good authority he's making a new tea blend."

"That would be lovely," Haru rubs her eyes and exhales. "Sorry for being whingy over a guy I didn't even know. I really thought - "

"Do not apologize for having feelings. We'll help you feel better soon."

"I'm just gonna take a quick shower and change into something cozy. Shouldn't take but about thirty minutes for me to be ready."

* * *

Baron hears a familiar rapping on his door as he's finishing his special blend of tea. "It's open!"

The girls enter, promptly collapsing on his sofa. Hiromi lays her head on Haru's shoulder for a moment, making gentle shushing noises. "I'm so sorry," she says. "I wish I could do more."

"H-Hiromi. You got us a night in, and Muta is buying dinner. I mean, i-it was his turn anyway, b-but still," her breath shudders as she speaks. "I couldn't ask for anything better."

Baron walks over with a cup of tea and silently offers it to Haru.

"Thanks," she gives him a watery smile. "Care to join us? I know I'm a blubbering mess, but - "

He obliges and hugs her instantly. "That's all right. We haven't had a good cry-fest in a while; we're a bit overdue, I think."

The girls laugh at that.

About forty-five minutes later, Toto and Muta practically fall into Baron's living room. "It's a lot of stuff, can we get some help?"

Together, the five friends sort and put away all the food and drinks.

"Hey, most of this is stuff I like," Haru notices. She gives Hiromi the side-eye. "What did you say?"

Hiromi puts her hands up. "I told them your date was a disaster and that I needed backup to help you feel better. Everything else was on them."

"Aw, thanks guys."

Toto breaks the ice. "What happened?"

"Okay, so, my aunt had me text this guy - _Machida_ \- " she says his name as if it's bile, "For a few days. We agreed to meet at Crossroads, at that little cafe with the yellow awning. In text, and for almost the entirety of our date, he seemed really nice. We got on really well, had a lot of common interests; that sinking feeling in my gut never really went away though." Haru rubs a hand over her face, frustrated. "I'm so sick of _always_ being right about this..."

"Do you need a breather?" Hiromi asks gently.

"Yeah. I'll be back in a few minutes," she walks into Baron's guest bathroom.

Muta runs a hand through his hair, sighing. "Worse than the other ones, huh?

Hiromi grabs a spare pillow and punches it. "Just wait, you don't even know the half of it. Her mother is furious about the whole thing. I'll let Haru tell you the rest though."

Toto and Baron whistle. "Her _mother_?"

"Oh yeah," Haru laughs, startling her friends. "I don't think I've ever seen her that mad at anyone in the family... Anyway, so Machida and I really got on, and I thought it was going great! Then he says, 'It's been fun, but my girlfriend's probably sick of my family setting me up on dates, I gotta go.'"

"WHAT?" Muta yells. "Did your aunt know he was seeing someone!?"

Haru nods, digging the heels of her hands into her eyes in an attempt to keep what little composure she has left. "Yeah. My aunt was in on his family trying to break it off with his girlfriend; apparently the girlfriend committed a small slight against them and they've hated her since."

Baron moves to the kitchen to pour Haru another cup of tea, staying silent. He does everything loudly though, clueing the others in on the fact that he's much angrier than he's verbally letting on. He gives her a fresh cup of tea, but before she takes it, she puts one hand over his. His hands are so tense, he could break this cup and saucer.

"Baron, are you all right?"

"I am hurt on your behalf, Haru. No woman - especially not one as kind-hearted and lovely as you - deserves to be treated like that. Absolutely unacceptable, and shame on your aunt for roping you into such a scheme."

Haru blushes at the compliment, smiling. "Thank you. Now that that's off my chest, let's eat!"

After a couple hours of eating and joking around, Toto, Muta, and Hiromi all decide to leave - temporarily - at the same time. "There are a couple movies I want to grab from our flat," she says when Haru raises an eyebrow. "Shouldn't be too long."

Muta rolls his shoulders. "We're gonna go get the Wii. We have Smash Brothers, Mario Kart, and a couple other games."

"We will be back soon, send a text if you need or want anything," Toto says, closing the door behind him.

Haru sighs. "Sorry to be a downer today, Baron. My instinct about this sort of thing is - frustratingly - almost never wrong, but I didn't think it would be that bad."

"Your family does have a pretty abysmal record with matchmaking, but I think this one takes the cake." Baron bites his bottom lip for a second, then stands up and messes with his entertainment system. After a few minutes, soft music plays through his television. "Haru, would you... Care to dance?"

She guffaws. "You're - you're having me on, right? You of all people know exactly how lousy my dancing is!"

"Just trust me."

Something about the light in his eyes and determined expression makes Haru concede. "Don't blame me if you get injured - I gave you fair warning," she takes his hand. He waltzes her around the flat, easily dodging her feet when they don't land quite where they're supposed to. He spins her out, pulls her in. About three minutes in, she's laughing. "I think we have a world record for no injuries on the dance floor!"

Cracking Baron's entry door open quietly, Hiromi and Toto take pictures on their mobiles. It's only when Muta quietly clears his throat that the trio knocks on the door. "We're back!"

Haru jumps about five feet back and trips. "Halloween's OVER, you guys! Jeez!"

Baron's ears are an interesting shade of red, but he scrambles for his dignity by coughing. "What game shall we play first?"

"MARIO KART!"

* * *

_3:35 a.m._

Baron's eyes shoot open, and he grabs the hand reaching blindly over the edge of his bed. "Haru?" he murmurs, concerned.

"I had a bad dream," she giggles in low tones. "Sorry. Just kind of reached out on instinct."

"Not a problem." He takes a breath for courage. If they weren't alone - or if he wasn't so exhausted - he probably wouldn't have the nerve to ask her this. "Would you like to holds hands while we sleep?"

She squeezes his hand hard. "Only if you want to."

To make their hand-holding easier, Baron props himself up with a couple extra pillows. "Tonight really was a lot of fun, wasn't it?"

"It was, Baron. Thanks."

"My pleasure, Haru."

_I wonder if he'd hold hands with me while we're with the others..._ is the last thought she has before drifting off to sleep.


End file.
